Twisp of Fate

I have been steadily working away on a challenging knitting project for a couple of months now.  It is a kit I bought several years back from Solveig Gustafsson in Goteborg, Sweden.  The kits are re-creations of the original garments produced by the Bohus Stickning organization in Sweden, between 1939 and 1969.  The English translations for the kits have been done by my friend Susanna Hansson, a talented knitter, teacher and collector of Bohus garments.  Please do follow that link to Susanna’s website, where you will find a wealth of information about the Bohus garments and information on her classes and upcoming events.

My kit was for the pattern called Forest Darkness, with black as the main color.  It is worked in a fine gauge, yummy 50% merino and 50% angora yarn.  The yoke was a challenge, but isn’t it beautiful?  After the thrill of the color work, there were miles and miles of plain stockinette knitting – in black.  I just finished grafting the tubular bind-off at the bottom of the sweater.  It still needs blocking, darning in ends, and buttons (I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of buttons ordered last week on-line, and hope they will work for this sweater).

I was determined to finish this in time for the opening of an exhibit in Minneapolis at the American Swedish Institute.  It is titled “Radiant Knits: The Bohus Tradition” and will be exhibited between January 23rd – March 29th, 2009.  Solveig Gustaffson is coming over from Sweden for the opening weekend, along with Kerstin Olsson, one of the original designers for Bohus Stickning, and Kjell Andersson, who has developed a film about the organization.

Susanna has been deeply involved in putting this together, and the majority of the sweaters and other items will come from her personal collection.   A number of the kits will be available through the ASI museum shop.

Sadly, I am not going to Minneapolis, but hope to be wearing my sweater this coming weekend in honor of the event.